Germany Cities Frankfurt , Stuttgart , Dusseldorf , Cologne . Hamburg , Berlin , Munich

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Germany Cities Frankfurt , Stuttgart , Dusseldorf , Cologne . Hamburg , Berlin , Munich
Travel tips for your trip to Germany Hotel Maps Famous Places in Germany helps you to make your trip to Germany in the holiday a Splendid One





Berlin

Berlin may be Germany's capital, but it's very much a world city, having bounced back confidently from 20th-century occupation and division to become one of Europe's most exciting destinations. A creative hub of international repute, Berlin is home to a multicultural population that these days barely spares a thought for the Cold War and the wall that divided the city for almost three decades.

Come to Berlin for world-class museums, kicking (and dirt-cheap) nightlife, expansive parkland, fascinating history visible on almost every street and a contemporary arts scene that rivals anywhere else in the world.

Quite unlike the rest of Germany, in Berlin you're just as likely to eat Vietnamese or Turkish food as German, you'll hear the eclectic click of foreign tongues throughout the city and your nightlife options will run from Russian disco to French burlesque nights and English-language karaoke hosted by transvestites. Come and join Europe's biggest party.


Frankfurt

Germany's fifth largest city, Frankfurt am Main is the nation's economic powerhouse, as well as being a highly regarded cultural centre.

Located in the middle of the highly productive Rhine-Main region, right at the centre of Europe, the city is the financial heart not only of Germany, but also of the European Union.

The modern skyscrapers of banks and big business in the central business district are potent symbols of Frankfurt's economic strength and create a skyline that is more North American than European in aspect – indeed, the city is often dubbed 'Mainhattan'.

Most of Frankfurt's visitors come for one of the numerous trade fairs, exhibitions and congresses. But Frankfurt has another side. As the birthplace of Germany's most revered writer, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749-1832), the city is at pains to impress with its cultural pedigree. Excellent museums, high-calibre performance groups and local festivals tempt too.


Cologne

Cologne (Köln) is a vibrant German city famous for its awe-inspiring cathedral, Romanesque churches and atmospheric brewhouses.

Despite its strong religious background, Cologne has a reputation as a goodtime town and its Carnival is one of the biggest in Europe. Visitors can sample the city's famous hospitality in its brewhouses - Cologne boasts more breweries than any other European city. Cologne also offers some fine museums featuring rich Roman remains and an important artistic heritage.Despite losing most of its historic centre in WWII, a small proportion of Cologne's Altstadt survives, right by the river.

But the major draw for visitors is Cologne's cathedral, known as the Dom, arguably the world's greatest gothic edifice and Germany's most visited attraction.

Munich

Located in southern Germany north of the Bavarian Alps, on the River Isar, Munich is Germany's third largest city, its most visited after Berlin, and a city that seems to revel in its contradictions.

Munich perpetuates the folklore of the ‘jolly Germany’ – rosy-cheeked, lederhosen-wearing men singing over their super-sized beer tankards, ginger-bread architecture fresh from fairy-tale illustrations, and Gemütlichkeit (cosy, hearty hospitality). The flip side is a city that displays all the trappings of 21st-century world prosperity – gleaming BMWs (the manufacturers’ base is here), flashy boutiques and glitzy nightclubs.

In reality, Munich’s citizens encapsulate all of this, demonstrating a cosmopolitan refinement as well as genuine passion for the region's many traditions. Tourists flock to the city for the world-famous Oktoberfest, indulging in vast quantities of beer and sausage in an orgy of Bavarian revelry.

However, there's more to Munich than this stereotypical image, thanks to its strong cultural scene, richly endowed art collections, romantic palaces and excellent shopping. Indeed, from balmy summers in the beer gardens to the glittering Christmas markets during snowy winters, Munich is a popular destination all year round.

Hamburg

Although it’s several more miles before the mighty Elbe empties itself into the North Sea, Hamburg has all the atmosphere and attributes of a busy harbour town. There’s cultural diversity, conspicuous, hedonistic consumption, immigrant workers from Portugal and Turkey, and a large student faculty, all rubbing shoulders within Germany’s largest port, which continues to thrive despite global trends, thanks to booming trade with Eastern Europe.

Aesthetically, Germany’s second largest city is less like Berlin and Munich, its national economic rivals, and feels more akin to northern European capitals such as Amsterdam and Copenhagen. All are cities borne on water (Hamburg in fact has more bridges than Amsterdam or Venice), where cutting-edge contemporary architecture and historic buildings stand side by side along quaysides and canals. Hamburg can also happily boast being Germany’s greenest city, with a full two thirds of the area here dedicated to parks and green land, or occupied by beautiful lakes.

Away from the greenery though, the colour and flavour of Hamburg can change at the turn of a corner. This was where the Beatles nurtured their talents in the early 1960s, playing the dingy clubs of notorious red-light district, the Reeperbahn. A slice of history which in many ways encapsulates much of Hamburg, a city like Amsterdam, where a polite, modest and liberal populace proudly display every facet of their hometown, including its salacious side, and celebrate a more recent heritage built on two ever-popular pastimes: sex and music.

Dusseldorf

Standing on a tributary of the mighty Rhine, Düsseldorf is the economic powerhouse of the region and one of the wealthiest cities in Germany.

The large number of banks and international head offices sited here means Düsseldorf is a very cosmopolitan city with around 100,000 foreigners - one in six of the total population. With prosperity has come patronage of the arts and fashion world, reflected in the ultra-trendy shopping street Konigsallee and the city's many galleries and art museums. Both the quantity and quality of dining options is also witness to how affluent and cosmopolitan the city is.

Most visitors focus on the Altstadt (Old Town), a warren of cobbled streets huddled by the river, where alongside vestiges of the past, there are over 200 popular bars, restaurants and nightspots. Uniquely in Germany, the Altstadt opens directly onto the Rhine, a recent initiative that has ‘reclaimed' the riverfront to the delight of locals and visitors.

Hanover

Hanover (Hannover) has risen since the dark days of the WWII to become one of Germany's wealthier cities.

Although much of the city on the bank of the River Leine was laid waste by Allied bombers during the 1940s, medieval highlights remain to delight the eye, particularly in the Old Town, whose Market Place, with its distinctive timbered buildings, and 15th-century Old Town Hall are definite 'musts' for the visitor.

Elsewhere, the city offers elegant parkland, a range of interesting museums and galleries - and all the attractions of a modern city, for business and leisure visitors alike.The city's economy is dominated by the Messegelände to the southeast, Germany's largest, and one of Europe's most high-tech show and exhibition grounds, which hauls in millions of visitors every year to attend the various business and leisure events. This vast area was also home to Expo 2000, the first World Expo ever to be held on German soil.Despite the rather less than spectacular success of the event itself, the Expo 2000 site has proved to be a valuable legacy for the city, and certainly placed Hanover firmly on the city breaks map.

Like many of the bigger German cities, Hanover is very much a mix of ancient and modern. But it is without doubt an attractive destination, offering all the facilities, shopping and entertainment (it has more than 40 theatres alone) demanded by the modern traveller.

Stuttgart

The prosperous south German city of Stuttgart oozes charm and a certain flair, offering visitors a range of historic and cultural attractions, despite its modernity.

The country’s sixth largest city, Stuttgart has something of a south European feel, particularly over the summer months when people enjoy the city’s green expanses and sit outside, enjoying the vibrant cafe culture. Locals are proud of Stuttgart’s strong cultural associations. This is a place with a lively arts scene and is a good destination for performing arts lovers. Opera, ballet and live music performances are accessible and tickets priced to be affordable.

Stuttgart is the capital of Baden-Wuerttemberg, a state famed for its expansive vineyards, the distinctive Swabian dialect spoken by locals and a unique cuisine. The city is surrounded by hills which form the Stuttgarter Kessel (cauldron), explaining the pleasant micro-climate. Stuttgart’s Bad Canstatt district has some of Europe's best mineral spas.